


engagement party troubles

by darthstan



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Engagement, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:46:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24395983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darthstan/pseuds/darthstan
Summary: Jack and Katherine have barely been engaged for a week, and of course Pulitzer is already causing problems.
Relationships: Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	engagement party troubles

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first work I've ever posted! I love Jack and Katherine's relationship so much, this is just a little scenario that popped into my head! Hope you enjoy!

"My father wants to throw us an engagement party," Katherine said laughing, like it was the most ridiculous idea she had ever heard. Her face was flushed bright red and Jack couldn't tell if it was from the cold November weather or her current state of exasperation. Knowing Katherine, it was most likely a combination of both.

"I thought that's what you's was wantin" Jack replied, recalling that Katherine had mentioned she wanted to celebrate their engagement with some sort of get-together. But judging by the fact that she was now pacing back and forth across her apartment fuming with rage, he assumed whatever her father had planned was not exactly what she had in mind.

"Yes, but I just wanted it to be with the boys and the Jacobs' and _maybe_ Darcy and Bill. You know, something small at Jacobi's." Jack could tell she was really worked up about this. She huffed loudly, tossing her hands around in dramatic gestures as she talked. He waited patiently for her to continue, leaning against the doorway of her kitchen and crossing his arms over his chest.

"What I did not want," she started again pointedly, "was my father to throw an extravagant party where he can parade me around proclaiming that I've _'finally come to my senses and done something useful in life by getting married and settling down'_ , which were his exact words by the way, in front of a hundred of his snobby rich friends! I can't believe he had the nerve to say that to me!"

Jack just chuckled in response. "If I know anything about ya fatha', Ace, it's that he ain't gonna be wantin' any of those rich folks knowin' you's marrying a workin' class fella like me. Even if I do work for The World," he replied. Sure, he was making a lot more than he had selling papes, but even with his illustration job he didn't make anywhere near what was considered acceptable by high society standards.

"And you know how long it took me to get his blessing. Three months, Kath. _Three months_." Jack still wasn't sure if they'd make it to their wedding day without ole' Joe changing his mind. If Pulitzer even knew that they were _alone_ in her apartment right now, without supervision, he'd probably have a coronary, call off the engagement, and have the Delancey’s wring Jack’s neck.

But Katherine just shook her head. "That's the worst part," she raged. "After two years of us trying to gain his approval, the one time he'll even think to put up with our relationship is at my expense!"

Jack understood her frustration. This wasn't the first time her father had pulled something like this. Ever since she had expressed her desire to pursue a career, her father had continually discouraged her from any type of independence that swayed from the social norms, claiming he was worried for her future, when he was really trying maintain his own prestigious image.

Katherine wasn't like other upper-class girls. Jack had figured that one out the second she declared she was going to be covering the strike. Finding out she was a Pulitzer’s very own daughter and still _worked a job_? A shocking revelation that ultimately proved her loyalty. When she grabbed his face, kissed him hard on the mouth, and then proceeded to help the newsboys in subduing her very own father? Yeah, she wasn't like any girl he'd ever met. Challenging the status quo was pretty much a daily practice for her.

Despite her aristocratic upbringing, she hated being subject to the men around her and rightfully so. She was smarter than any person Jack knew and more driven than any man he'd ever met. The fact that Pulitzer was trying to take advantage of Katherine's happiness only to try and justify the caliber of his own reputation made Jack's blood boil.

"I mean, who does he think he is, thinking he can use our engagement to show the world that his daughter has _‘finally fallen in line’_?" she cried, echoing his thoughts exactly.

She finally looked up at Jack, her eyes softening as she came to stop in front of him. "I love you, I really do," she said gently, reaching for one of his hands with both of hers, squeezing it in reaffirmation. She dropped it almost as quickly as she had grasped it and began pacing once again. " _But_ I did _not_ choose to marry you because of some societal obligation to become a housewife or to bear you children!"

She stalked past him and into the kitchen, flopping down ungracefully in a chair at the small table in the middle of the room. He followed and stood behind her, placing his hands tenderly on her shoulders.

"Ace," he said sweetly. "You gotta breathe." Katherine listened, closed her eyes, and took a big breath. She threw her head back against his stomach and looked up at him, her hand reaching to rest on his.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, a sad smile spreading across her face. She knew she was difficult to deal with when she got in these types of moods, and Jack was usually one of the only people who could bring her out of them, bless his soul.

Jack leaned down to kiss her forehead. "You ain't got nothin' to be sorry for," he replied. "You got er'y right to be mad about this." He pulled her hand and hauled her to her feet. Her arms instantly circled his waist as she leaned her head against his shoulder, gripping the back of his vest like a lifeline. "I know I shouldn't let him affect me this way, but..." She hesitated, her words muffled against the collar of his shirt.

"...But you love him," he finished for her, sliding a hand over the back of her head comfortingly. "He's still ya fatha', Ace. Ain't no way around that." Katherine pulled back to look at him and let out a breathy sigh, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. "He loves you, Kath. He would’na taken three months to give me his blessing if he didn't. Or tried to buy me off the second he realized we was courtin' each other fo' real. Or…”

"I know he does," she interrupted. This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation, but she'd never really admitted what she was about to say next. "It's just...sometimes I feel like he loves his reputation more."

Jack couldn't pretend to understand Katherine's relationship with her father. Medda was the closest thing to a mother he'd ever had, and his folks had died too early on in his life for him to know how it felt to feel like you were disappointing your parents. But he knew Katherine, and though she desperately pleaded otherwise, he knew she sought her father's approval, even if she didn't necessarily agree with his opinions.

Jack sighed. "I know it ain't the same, but ya gotta remember everyone else who's got ya back." If her father wouldn't support her, he knew a whole borough of newsboys who would. "You's got the boys. Crutch, Davey, and Racer, and all those idiots." He smiled, reminiscing about the boys' reactions when he'd told them he and Kath were engaged.

_"You's is really gettin’ hitched, Jackie boy?"_ Race had said, shaking his head. _"Can't believe it."_

_"Issa 'bout time,"_ had been Crutchie's response. He was the only person who'd known Jack was planning on proposing and had kept it secret for a good four months before Jack finally got the guts to get down on one knee. Jack would have told the others, but he knew good and well they would've spilled the beans before he even thought about popping the question.

Albert had laughed. _"Poor Plums. Gonna be stuck with ya ugly mug forevah?"_ He'd gotten a smack across the back of the head for that one.

Davey had seemed even more excited than the couple themselves. _"Congratulations!"_ He'd practically screamed, pulling them both in for a bone crushing hug.

Katherine finally managed a reply, breaking Jack out of his thoughts. "I love those ridiculous boys," she croaked out. A tear ran down her cheek, and Jack wiped it away with his thumb. "And they love you. And so do Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs. And Darcy and Bill." She nodded, knowing he was right. He laughed. "For heaven's sake, even Kloppman loves ya!" She sniffled and let out a giggle. The lodging house attendant really did have a soft spot for the young reporter.

Jack smoothed her bangs out of her eyes and lifted her left hand, admiring the silver band adorning her ring finger, bringing it to his lips in a kiss. "And in a couple months you ain't gonna be able to get rid of me. I'm always gonna be here, supportin' you, no matta' what. No matta' what ya fatha’ thinks about me or you or us, okay?" Katherine nodded and smiled shakily.

Looking at up at Jack, she couldn't be more sure of her answer to his proposal just six short days ago. Everyone thought she was crazy, but they knew what they were getting themselves in to. So, they were young. So what? She would be 20 in late January, him a month and a half later in March. They were almost five years younger than her mother had been when she'd married her father. But both of them had been on their own for long enough. Spending your entire life on the streets, selling papers had hardened him into an adult, and being raised by parents who might as well have not been there at all had made her mature in a way that time couldn't.

Despite her father's protests, Katherine knew Jack was it for her. Sure, he was the world's biggest flirt and twice as stubborn as her, but it was moments like these that reminded her if how loving, gentle, and supportive he could really be. She could care less about where he came from or how much money he made.

"I love you. So much."

"I love ya too, Ace." He gathered her in his arms again, pressing his face to her hair. "Forget yer dad, we's gonna have the best engagement party ev’ah, no rich snobs allowed," he proclaimed. "Except for Darcy and Bill," he joked. "If you wants them there, I mean." Katherine raised an eyebrow and pulled back grinning.

She placed her arms around his neck and curled her fingers into the back of his hair as she pulled his face close to hers.

"Fo' sure?" she questioned teasingly. He rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, then leaned in to kiss her on the lips. "Fo' sure."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much if you've read this far! I was really nervous about sharing this, so if you liked it, leave a comment! I hope to keep writing other oneshots like this one:)


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